Water containment structure

ABSTRACT

A water structure that includes at least a pair of sleeves or tubes formed from a puncture resistant flexible material that are each joined to an edge of each of a pair of divider skirt sections that are, in turn, joined to one another along their opposite edges, for installation within an outer sleeve. Which connection of the divider skirt section edges to the sleeves or tubes and to each other is preferably by sewing, but may be provided by heat or adhesive bond, clamping, riveting, or other appropriate method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to inside tubes of a water damming structure fordamming a water course, controlling and directing water flow, andworking and support structures where fabric sleeves are formed andconnected together in side by side relationship by a connectionarrangement for containment in an outer master tube for forming avariety of structures.

2. Prior Art

A need for a versatile dam structures such that can be water or airfilled, and are relatively inexpensive, non-permanent, reusable anddurable, have been early recognized by the inventor who has been awardedU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,059,065 and 5,125,767, 6,364,571 and 6,481,028, and isthe inventor of a recent U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,300 that shows couplingarrangements for maintaining water structure tubes together, in side byside relationship, along their lengths. The present invention providesadditional coupling arrangements to those shown in which earlier patentsfor joining at least a pair of water structure tubes in side by siderelationship along their lengths that, prior to filling, are forarrangement in an outer master tube, providing, when filled with water adam structure.

Water structures like those shown in the earlier patents of the inventorand the present invention have been found to be very useful for safelyand reliably containing water, for directing water, and have also beenused for controlling hazardous waste, oil or chemical spills, for floodcontrol, and the like. Further, such water structures are alsoappropriate for use, for example, in temporary damming operations suchas may be involved in agricultural water storage, construction, forde-watering work sites, fields, or the like, and can even be used aspermanent or long term structures.

Additional to the patents of the inventor cited above, it has heretoforebeen recognized that fluid filled flexible water control structures andbarriers can be used for retention and storage of water, control ofwater flow and wave action, and a number of configurations of dams andbarriers, and such have been formed as both semi-permanent and temporarystructures. Some of such other arrangements are shown, for example, inU.S. Patents to: Hornbostel, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,568; Sample, U.S.Pat. No. 4,729,691; Brodersen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,821; Hendrix, U.S.Pat. No. 5,040,919; Roach, U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,416; Melin, U.S. Pat. No.5,857,806; and Miller, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,564. Which abovecited U.S. Patents show various containment, dam and barrierconfigurations from permanent to portable structures, and include, asshown in the Brodersen '821 patent, a structure for encircling achemical or oil spill. Such earlier patents, however, do not show aflexible sleeve coupling arrangement for connecting two sleeves or tubesthrough a divider skirt for containment within an outer tube, that islike that shown in the present invention.

Unlike the present invention, other specialty water filled structureshave been earlier employed as shown, for example, in Thompson, U.S. Pat.No. 4,352,591; Sample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,491; Taylor, U.S. Pat. No.4,981,392; Eaker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,455, and Strong, U.S. Pat. No.5,984,577, that have generally involve inflatable envelope arrangements.None of which such earlier structures have provided the unique couplingarrangement of the invention for joining separate sleeves or tubesacross a divider skirt along their lengths for fitting into an outertube and filling with water, producing the strong and reliable waterstructures like that of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide aconnection arrangement for joining first and second sleeves or tubes inside by side relationship along their lengths, between a divider sheet,for fitting into an outer sleeve and filling with water, forming a damtype water structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a connectionarrangement for longitudinally coupling a pair of sleeves or tubes alongtheir adjacent lengths, by sewing, clamping, welding or like fasteningof edges of flat first and second divider skirt sections along thelength of each of a pair of sleeves or tubes with the outer or firstedges of each of the divider skirt sections and which divider skirtsections are positioned alongside one another and are coupled togetheralong their inner or seconds edges, forming a single divider skirtbetween the pair of sleeves or tubes along their lengths, with theassembly for fitting into an outer sleeve and filled with water.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pair ofsleeves or tubes, that can be alike or of different sizes andconfigurations, where each includes a divider skirt section coupledalong a first divider skirt edge to the sleeve or tube along its lengthand the divider skirt sections, in turn, are connected along theirsecond inner edges, forming a divider skirt, that is for maintaining thesleeve or tubes along their lengths, with the assembly for fitting intoan outer sleeve, and which sleeves or tubes are preferably open ended,but can each be permanently closed at one or both ends, with, afterfilling with water, sleeve or tube open ends are elevated above thewater level and can be closed as with a tie, or other appropriateclosure device.

The present invention is in a connection arrangement for joining firstand second sleeves or tubes along their lengths to a divider skirt,where each sleeve or tube can be filled with an appropriate liquid,preferably water, after positioning in an outer sleeve. The first andsecond sleeves or tubes can be arranged to hold water or can contain andmaintain at least one flexible bladder that can be filled with water,providing a water structure where the pair of sleeves or tubes aremaintained together within the outer sleeve, providing a water structurethat with the first and second sleeves or tubes filled with water, willresist being rolled when subjected to a side or transverse hydraulicload directed against one face of the water structure. The respectivesleeves or tubes can be formed to have the same or different diametersand lengths.

The sleeve or tube connection arrangement includes a pair of flatflexible divider skirt sections, with one divider skirt section providedfor each sleeve or tube. Each divider skirt section preferably has arectangular shape and each is for attachment along one long first edgeto each of the sleeves or tubes as with a fastener, and the oppositedivider skirt section long section edges are for coupling together,joining the divider skirt sections into a single divider skirt thatmaintains the first and second sleeves or tubes together across thedivider skirt.

The individual skirts can be secured along the length of the sleeve ortube in a factory or manufacturing setting as by sewing, welding,gluing, crimping metal clamps, or the like, to sandwich the skirt edgebetween the sleeve or tube, or by any appropriate coupling arrangement.The pair of sleeves or tubes with attached divider skirt sections canthen be connected by coupling the divider skirt sections along theirsecond edges together in which factory or manufacturing setting as bysewing, welding, gluing, crimping metal clamps or the like, to sandwichthe divider skirt section edges together into a divider skirt, or theycan be joined at a work site by an appropriate attachment arrangement,joining the first and second sleeves together in side by siderelationship. Whereafter, tubes or sleeves and connected divider skirtthat has be flowed upon itself are fitted into an outer sleeve and, inpreparation for the sleeves or tubes being filled with a liquid and thesleeve or tube ends closed or maintained above a water level, thesleeves or tubes are filled with water forming the water structure.

In practice, sleeves or tubes connected along their longitudinal axis bya divider skirt are closed together, folding the divider skirt uponitself, and are fitted into an outer sleeve prior to filling the sleevesor tubes with a liquid, preferably water. Prior to installation, thesleeves or tubes preferably receive inserts or bladders fitted therein,or can receive a coating material applied there over to make them watertight. The sleeves or tubes are preferably woven and the inserts fittedin each sleeve or tube are preferably a polyurethane, or like suitableplastic material, having a range of wall thickness of from five (5) totwenty (20) millimeters. Though, it should be understood, the inventionis not limited to any particular sleeve or tube, can utilize inserts ofgreater or lesser wall thickness, and the outer sleeves or tubes canthemselves be constructed to hold water, as can the outer sleeve, withinthe scope of this disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate that which is presently regarded as thebest mode for carrying out the invention:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation perspective view of a pair of sleeves ortubes of the invention maintained in side by side relationship between adivider skirt, with the assembly fitted into an outer sleeve and filledwith water, where the divider skirt is formed from divider skirtsections whose inner edges are shown as having been fitted over oneanother and connected by sewing, as illustrated by broken lines, andwhose outer edges are shown connected along the sleeves or tubes sidesby sewing, illustrated by broken lines;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation perspective view of a pair sleeves or tubesthat are formed by folding flat sheets of sleeve or tube material andjoining the contacting surfaces, as by sewing, forming the sleeves ortubes, and showing the flat sheets edges positioned over one another andconnected, as by sewing, forming a divider skirt between the sleeves ortubes, and with the sleeves or tubes and divider skirt shown fitted intoan outer sleeve and filled with water;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation schematic view of the sleeves or tubes ofFIG. 1 with the divider skirt sections sewn onto the sleeves or tubessides, extending the length of each, with the inner divider skirtsection edges overlapping and connected together by sewing;

FIG. 4A shows a side elevation view of the tubes or sleeves of FIG. 3,that are arranged in side by side relationship and are connected,respectively, to sides of divider skirt sections as by sewing, andshowing the inner divider skirt section edges as over lapping and areconnected as by sewing;

FIG. 4B shows one of the tubes or sleeves of FIG. 4A pivoted around theother, conforming to the water structure of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end elevation schematic view of the sleeves or tubes ofFIG. 2 where the flat sheets of sleeve or tube material are folded uponone other and connected together forming the individual sleeves or tubesand with the flat sections edges laid over one another and showing theedges connected, forming a divider skirt between the sleeves or tubes,and showing each sleeve or tube as including a bladder fitted therein,extending the length of each of the sleeve or tubes;

FIG. 6A shows a side elevation schematic view of the sleeves or tubesformed by joining the flat sections of sleeve or tube material into theindividual sleeves or tubes as by sewing, and showing the divider skirtformed by joining the parallel edges of the flat sections of materialtogether as by sewing and showing each sleeve or tube as having receiveda bladder fitted therein;

FIGS. 6B shows an end elevation view of the sleeves or tubes of FIG. 6Athat have been joined together by sewing, showing the sleeves for tubesas having received bladders fitted therein, and showing one sleeve ortube pivoted around the other; and

FIGS. 7A through 7F show examples of coupling arrangements for joiningthe first edges of divider skirt sections along the sides of the sleevesor tubes and for joining the overlapping second edges of the dividerskirt sections into a divider skirt that extends between the sleeves ortubes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Heretofore temporary water structures have included sleeves and tubesthat have generally been assembled on site and filled with water tofunction as a dam, or the like. Like such earlier arrangements, thepresent invention is in an arrangement of flexible plastic sleeves ortubes that are filled with a liquid, preferably water, and can beutilized for water containment, water diversion, de-watering of aflooded area, and the like.

The invention is in a sleeve or tube attachment structure for connectinga pair of flexible water impervious sleeves or tubes in spacedarrangement across a divider skirt. Such sleeves or tubes are heldtogether by an outer sleeve to be filled with water, or other liquid,and, prior to filling, each can accommodate a bladder fitted therein.The sleeves or tubes each with, or without a bladder, are maintainedwithin the outer sleeve, and have their ends closed or have their endsmaintained above the water level, forming a water structure, such as adam. Such sleeve or tube connection arrangement provides for securingopposite first divider skirt section edges along the lengths of eachsleeve or tube and securing the second divider skirt section edgestogether, forming the divider skirt, maintaining the pair of sleeves ortubes in position across the divider skirt. The invention is in apreferred sleeve or tube connection arrangement that is shown herein assewing, but can also include, welding, gluing, a use of grommets andties, metal clamps, and the like, within the scope of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows an end perspective sectional view of a water structure 10that includes a pair of sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 that connect, alongtheir opposite longitudinal surfaces, to divider skirt sections 13 and14, and with the assembly contained in an outer sleeve 19. The pair ofsleeves or tubes 11 and 12 are shown as connected along their sides tofirst edges 13 a and 14 a of the divider skirt sections 13 and 14,respectively, illustrated by seams 15. FIG. 3 is an end schematic viewof the water structure 10 of FIG. 1 that shows the divider skirtsections each connected along their first edges 13 a and 14 a,respectively, to the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 along the tubes orsleeves sides, respectively, as illustrated by seam 15. Which couplingof the divider skirt edges along the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 sidesmay be by a coupling arrangement other than by sewing, such as bywelding, bonding, clamping and the like, as illustrated in FIGS. 7Athrough 7F, as discussed below. Which connection arrangement is selectedto provide for couplings that are strong and flexible, forming a desiredshape of sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 and connected divider skirt 18, asshown in FIG. 1, 3, 4A and 4B, that is puncture and tear resistant.Which sleeves or tubes 11 and 12, divider skirt 18 and outer sleeve 19material can be a section of thick plastic material such aspolyethylene, but is preferably a section of a mesh material that is aweave of plastic stripes, or like material, having strong tensilestrength, and providing a weave that is tear resistant. In practice, amaterial known as woven polypropylene geotextile has been used forforming the tubes or sleeves, divider skirt sections and outer sleeve ofthe invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, water structure 10 can be formed as a pair ofindividual sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 with the edges 13 a and 14 a ofdivider skirt sections 13 and 14 sewn onto each of the single sleeves ortubes, illustrated by seams 15, forming a junction of the sleeve or tubesides with the divider skirt section edges, with the assembly forfitting into the outer sleeve 19, respectively, whereafter the sleevesor tubes 11 and 12 are filled with water, forming the water structure10. To provide sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 that will hold water, asealing material, shown at 16 in FIG. 1, if needed, may be applied, asneeded, within each sleeve or tube, to seal the seam junction, and, thisor other sealing material can be spread over the sleeve or tube interiorsurfaces, water proofing the sleeves or tubes.

Shown in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the pair of sleeves or tubes 11 and 12, arearranged in side by side relationship, with each sleeve or tube 11 and12 contained in outer sleeve 19, as shown in FIG. 1, to contain water.In practice, the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 in outer tube 19, will havetheir ends tied off, or their ends may be left open with the sleeve ortube ends maintained at a height above a level of water in which sleeveor tube, forming water structure 10. The seam 15 joining the dividerskirts edges 13 a, 14 a, along the sides of the sleeves or tubes 11 and12, and the seam 17 connecting the opposite second divider skirtsections edges 13 b and 14 b, are preferably triple longitudinalstitches that utilize a thread that is very strong in tension, such as aKevlar thread, and the junction of the sleeves or tubes sides with thedivider skirt edges 13 a and 14 a may be sealed as with an applicationof a sealing adhesive 16 applied within the sleeves or tube. Suchjunctions, however, may be made utilizing methods other than sewingwithin the scope of this disclosure. For example, FIGS. 6B through 6Fshow connection arrangements that are, in addition to the seamconnection set out above and in FIG. 6A, and may be utilized for joiningthe divider skirt sections to each other to form the divider skirt 18,and to join the divider skirt sections to the sleeves or tubes.

A water structure 20 is shown in FIG. 2 that is similar to waterstructure 10 and is also preferably formed by sleeves or tubes 21 and 22that are linked along their sides through a divider skirt 28 and arecontained in an outer sleeve 29. Like the divider skirt 18 of FIG. 1,the divider skirt 28 is also formed from connected divider skirtsections 23 and 24 at their first edges 23 a and 24 a. The tubes orsleeves 21 and 22 are preferably formed materials like those describedabove with respect to sleeves or tubes 11 and 12, that are shown asseparate flat sheets of material that are each folded upon itself andare connected along a mid-line, shown as seam 25, to form each of thesleeves or tubes 21 and 22 and connected divider skirt sections 23 and24. Within the scope of this disclosure, however, the two sleeves ortubes 21 and 22 and the divider skirt sections 23 and 24 can be formedfrom a single sheet of material. In such arrangement, the folded flatsheets of material are joined, as by sewing, shown as seams 25, formingthe sleeves or tubes 21 and 22, and each sleeve or tube receives abladder 27 fitted therein prior to filling with water. The divider skirtsections 23 and 24 first edges 23 a and second edges 23 b and 24 a and24 b, respectively, are fitted together and are joined, as by sewing asshown at seam 26, forming divider skirt 28.

Where the water structure 10 of FIG. 1 shows the sleeves or tubes 11 and12 as formed or arranged to contain water, the sleeves or tubes 21 and22 are shown in FIG. 5, 6A and 6B as having separate bladders 27 fittedtherein that are filled with water, as shown in FIG. 2. Though, itshould be understood the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 could also receivebladders fitted therein, or the Sleeves or tubes 21 and 22 could bearranged for contain water without an inclusion of bladders, within thescope of this disclosure.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show an example of assembly of the sleeves or tubes 11and 12 and the divider skirt 18, illustrating that the sleeves or tubescan be stacked together while the junctions are sewn, show as seams 15and 17. Whereafter, the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 are pivoted, as shownin FIG. 4B for positioning in the outer sleeve 19 and filling withwater, as shown in FIG. 1, forming water structure 10. Similarly, FIGS.6A and 6B also show the stacked sleeves or tubes 21 and 22 that areconnected to opposite first edges of divider skirt 28 as by sewing,illustrated as seams 25 and 26 and, additionally, show bladders 27 ashaving been fitted into the sleeves or tubes 21 and 22. Whereafter, thesleeves or tubes 21 and 22 are pivoted, as shown in FIG. 6B forpositioning in the outer sleeve 19 and filling with water, forming thewater structure 20.

As described above, a preferred coupling arrangement for joining thedivider skirt sections edges onto the sleeves or tubes, extending thelength of which sleeves or tubes, and the divider skirt sections secondedges onto one another, is by sewing. FIG. 7A illustrates this couplingarrangement, showing the divider skirt sections 23 and 24 first edges 23a and 24 a as overlapping and shows seam 26 as joining the divider skirtsections along their second edges, forming the divider skirt 28.

Alternatively, the connection of the divider skirt section edges ontothe sleeve or tube, along the length of the sleeve or tube, and forjoining the divider skirt sections opposing edges, forming the dividerskirt, can be accomplished by a utilization of the connectionarrangements shown in FIGS. 7B through 7F. In FIG. 7B the overlappingedges of the divider skirt sections 23 and 24 are shown connected byrivets 26 a, and in FIG. 7C divider shirt sections 23 and 24 first edges23 a and 24 a are shown interfolded and a layer of heat activated glue,26 b is applied to the edges 23 a and 24 a that receives a heat source30 moved therealong, activating the glue layer to provide bonding orwelding of the divider skirt edges together. FIG. 7D shows divider skirtsections 23 and 24 first edges 23 a and 24 a as having received a layerof an adhesive 26 c applied to the opposing edge surfaces, gluing thedivider skirt sections together. FIG. 7E shows the first edges 23 a and24 a of the divider skirt sections 23 and 24 as having been foldedtogether, illustrated by arrow 26 d and clamped together at spacedintervals by crimping clamps 31. FIG. 7F shows a connection arrangementthat is functionally like that shown in FIG. 7E. Shown in FIG. 7F, thefirst edges 23 a and 24 a of the divider skirt sections 23 and 24 areshown as having been folded together, illustrated by arrow 26 e andclamped by a single crimping clamp 32. Which clamps 31 and 32 of FIGS.7E and 7F, it should be understood, can be in turned at the end of theirparallel sides to bit into, so as to more securely hold the dividerskirt sections edges together.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed herein, it should be understood that the present disclosure ismade by way of example only and that variations are possible, within thescope of this disclosure, without departing from the subject mattercoming within the scope of the following claims and reasonableequivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.

1. A water structure comprising, at least a pair of sleeves or tubesformed from a flexible material selected to resist punctures; a pair oflike flat flexible rectangular divider skirt sections that each have alength to extend the length of each said sleeve or tube, and are of awidth to extend out from a side of said sleeve or tube; means forsecurely connecting first edges of each said divider skirt section alongeach said sleeve or tube outer surface, along its longitudinal axis;means for connecting second edges of each said divider skirt section toeach other, forming a divider skirt that extends between the sides ofsaid sleeves or tubes: and an outer sleeve for containing said pair ofsleeves or tubes and divider skirt.
 2. The water structure as recited inclaim 1, wherein the means for securely connecting said pair of dividerskirt sections first edges onto sides of each of said sleeves or tubes,along the length thereof, is by sewing with a thread having a strongtensile strength.
 3. The water structure as recited in claim 1, whereinthe means for connecting second edges of each said divider skirt to eachother is by sewing with a thread having a strong tensile strength. 4.The water structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the means forsecurely connecting said pair of divider skirt sections first edges ontosides of each of said sleeves or tubes, along the length thereof, andfor connecting second edges of each said divider skirt to each other isby bonding or welding.
 5. The water structure as recited in claim 4,wherein the bonding or welding is provided by application of a heatsource onto the contacting sleeve or tube and divider skirt sectionsurfaces to create a flow of material to provide bonding or welding atthe location of said heat source application.
 6. The water structure asrecited in claim 4, wherein the bonding or welding is provide byapplication of an adhesive between said sleeve or tube and divider skirtsection surfaces and curing said adhesive.
 7. The water structure asrecited in claim 1, wherein the means for securing connecting said pairof divider skirt sections first edges onto sides of each of said sleevesor tubes, along the length thereof, and for connecting second edges ofeach said divider skirt section to each other is by clamping thecontacting sleeve or tube and divider skirt sections surfaces bypinching parallel legs of a channel shaped metal clamp together acrosssaid contacting surfaces.
 8. The water structure as recited in claim 7,wherein the channel shaped metal clamp is the length of the junction ofthe sleeve or tube side with the divider skirt section edge, and thedivider skirt sections second edges.
 9. The water structure as recitedin claim 7, wherein the a plurality of channel shaped metal clamps areindividually clamped at spaced internals along the junctions of thesleeve or tube side and the divider skirt first edge and the overlappedportions of the divider skirt sections second edges.
 10. The waterstructure as recited in claim 1, further including, a seal is fixedalong the junction of the sleeve or tube surface and the divider skirtsection first edge within the sleeve or tube.
 11. The water structure asrecited in claim 11, further including fitting a tubular bladder withineach of the sleeves or tubes.